The Mud Puddle

2011-10-03T23:03:00.000-07:00

My New Obsession!

I absolutely love making these. OK, so I love eating them too. The thing is both my husband and I would rather eat pie than cake. Well after making these a few times I think it is safe to say that even he loves these things. They are just so fun and easy to make.

Recently I hosted a party and wanted to make these cake balls as a refreshment. I needed to add something cute to the styrofoam circle to spruce it up a bit. This is what I came up with. I just simply took a scrap ruffle the same height as my foam and wrapped it around. I then added some ribbon at the top with coordinating pins to secure it all in place. I didn't want to glue it because then I can reuse the foam with different fabric later on. Anyhow, if you know how to make a ruffle you can easily make this.

Cake Pops anyone?

Baby Stuff

2011-05-28T14:07:00.000-07:00

In preparation for baby I needed to reward myself with a few handmade items. Unfortunately I waited until the last couple months to make it all. Not as ideal because I am more exhausted and my body doesn't really maneuver easily. However, here is a brief look at a few things I have made.

1. Diaper Bag- This was a must because in the past I just used the one they give you at the hospital. The don't last me long because the cheap plastic stuff breaks. I have made a few of these for others and now that I have one of my own I must say that I love it. It has a ton of pockets and room for me to fit what I need in there.

I tried making it with a fabric my husband would also feel comfortable carrying around if needed. Anyhow, I really love it and look forward to actually using it instead of pretending.

2. Crocheted Flannel Blankets- I wanted to learn to crochet, so I started off by making these blankets. They were fairly simple to learn with except that the yarn thread is super tiny. I really like how they turned out.

A second look at a crocheted flannel blanket for baby.

3. Newsboy Hat, Diaper Cover, and Loafers- After feeling confident with the blankets I was ready to move on to learn some other crocheting. I had the patterns for a long time waiting to find a friend to help me figure out how to read the pattern. They seemed so confusing. Finally I decided to just see if I could figure it all out and thanks to youtube I was able to find video tutorials for all the new stitches I had never tried before. Now I love crocheting. I feel a little bit grandma like, however, I love it.

4. Crib Bedding- I wanted to try making crib bedding this time. Unfortunately I can only go as far as the bumper pads and sheet because the rest of the fabric I want to use doesn't come out until June. So since the baby doesn't really need a quilt for sleeping right away I am not worried. This is a sneak peak at what I do have. I have other plans for the wall and crib, but I will reveal those once they are finished.

Well, sewing, and now crocheting are some of my favorite past times. Now I am happy to sew things for my own baby too.

Spring Pillow

2011-04-19T12:49:00.000-07:00

About two years ago I made a quilt for my daughter. I planned to make pillows to go with it. The problem is I never did make the time for it. The quilt itself was such a huge project for me that I think when it was finished I didn't want to do anything else with it.

Finally two years later and after a big move I decided it was time to give her bed a little more. This is the first pillow I finished and I have two others I have in my head.

I bought a pillow that was on Clearance for $5 at a place here in Canada called Home Outfitters. It is like Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I was glad to score a nice pillow that I could cover for a great price. Anyhow, here is how it looks on the bed.
Once I get the other two finished it will look a little bit more complete. I also need to get my daughter some nicer pillows because hers are like pancakes. She hasn't complained though. I am glad I finally got around to making this because it adds a lot to her room and I love how it turned out. I will post pictures of the other two once they are made.

Hannah Montana Comes for a Visit

2010-11-01T12:04:00.000-07:00

Don't mind the serious face above. My daughter is very shy, so it surprised me to see her willing to walk across the stage at the YMCA trunk-or-treat. This is her next to the real Hannah Montana, and the picture that we were inspired by. The jacket and boots where the only hard parts. I couldn't find a jacket pattern anywhere, and I looked for a white denim jacket to save time, but I think it must be the wrong season for that. So, I had to wing it and figure it out myself. I didn't put a zipper in it because by the time I got that far I was ready to be finished. She did help me bedazzle her microphone which helped out a bit.

She had a lot of fun as Hannah Montana, and even Miley Cyrus for school because she couldn't wear her wig. I think next year I need to to something really easy going. Who knows who she will pick next year.

Halloween was great and now we have too much candy that will probably get tossed eventually. I hope you all had a great Halloween as well.

Boots

2010-10-25T08:30:00.000-07:00

My daughter decided that she wanted to be Hannah Montana for Halloween this year. So I finally went with it. She picked a picture and we tried to get it as close as we could. I will be posting the full costume later this week.

However, after a lot of work I finished some boots that I thought would go with the costume well. So, I thought I would at least dedicate a whole post just to these boots that were slightly obnoxious to make but worth it.

The toes turned out a little pointy, and I just haven't figured out how to get them nice and round yet. I hope to make a few more for practice.
The boots are made with a suede cloth in grey, and embellished with 4 buttons down the side and two ribbon ties at the back. The soles are soft and made with a non slip rubber. Lets just say that your kid would not want to go running around in a bunch of pebbles or twigs. P.E. might not be the best place for them either. I am sure that this sole would be perfect for smaller kids, but it would be nice to find something that was a bit more durable for the older ones.

Well, the boots were quite the experiment, but one I am glad I did. It was a fun challenge especially once I was finished. I will post the complete Hannah Montana Costume later this week.

Happy Halloween!

Etsy Shop Dilema

2010-10-04T07:37:00.000-07:00

Over the summer my poor shop has been neglected. I have not really renewed my listings or added new items. Really I have just been focusing on making my own projects, and creating things I have been wanting to try. Right now I have marked down all my dress sets to clear out my shop.

I would like to replace them with new listings. The dilemma I am having is what to put in there. The towel sets seem to do OK, and I can't decide if I should add some new designs or if I should add something new altogether. I have in mind some diaper bags, but they take so long to make. I will probably add some new towel designs, and something else too. We will see were my thoughts take me. I need to scramble my brain for some ideas.

So, while I take yet more time to think about what I want to put in my shop I will be enjoying the slightly cool weather we are having, and maybe even make myself a new purse while I am at it.

What are you enjoying during this fall season? What are you making?

T-Shirt Embellishing

2010-09-02T14:16:00.000-07:00

Cupcakes or Necklaces Anyone?

Near the end of the summer I purchased a few solid color shirts so that I could embellish them as I wanted to. The first on my list was an appliqued zebra that I will have to post a picture of later.

I had been wanting to make one of these ruffle cupcake shirts for my daughter who loves sweet things especially cupcakes. Whenever she is invited to a birthday party the one thing on her mind is the cake. So, she can indulge in this cupcake frequently without getting a sugar rush. I love how it turned out.
I do recommend using a stabilizer underneath so you can prevent mishaps like the right bottom corner of the cupcake. I couldn't unpick it or it would have torn the shirt up. So, it has a little beauty mark, but I like it. It seemed incomplete without a cherry on top, so I sewed a red button on top for the cherry.
I love making hair bows/flowers/barrettes to match shirts. I have not done it in a while, so this was a treat. I thought I would take some of the frosting like fabric and make a little frosted rosette headband to match.

Next up was a little freezer paper action. My daughter also loves these pretend necklace shirts that are pretty much in every store right now. I did buy her one for school, but I wanted to see if I could pull one off myself.

This is my take on the necklace shirt. I did not want to cut all these holes out of the freezer paper by hand, so I used my scrapbooking tools. I have not used them in so long, but they sure did come in handy. I used my eyelet hole punch thing, and made various different sized holes all over the outline I had for then necklace. I wish I would have had one that was a little bit bigger so that I could add a few larger circles.

If you are new to freezer paper stenciling, or you have never done it you should try it. I will try getting another project using it so I can make a tutorial. In the mean time there are tutorials all over the place.

Of course this one had to have a matching hair pin too. I used a lavender colored satin and made a little flower as you can see.

There are so many ways to add to a plain old shirt. I have so many ideas running in my head, but then I have to wait because a kid only needs so many t-shirts.

Do you have any fun shirt, skirt, or purse embellishment ideas?

Chore Chart

2010-08-27T12:04:00.000-07:00

I have been in need to make a chore chart for some time now. I needed something that would motivate, and be fun at the same time. An awesome thing about the internet is that if you want to know how to make something or get a tutorial for something it is available. So, I googled chore chart tutorials.

After searching and finding many different ideas I finally found one that I felt would be perfect for my little girl.

Here are some pictures of my version of the tutorial. If you want to take a look at the actual tutorial go to Childmade here.

The ones on Childmade were done with an embroidery machine. I don't have one, so I set my sewing machine to a zigzag stitch, and little stitch width. It basically gives them the same look as the embroidery machine.

Since I was just using what I had available already I didn't to the nice strong magnets in between the fabric like she did. It would have looked a lot nicer, but I only had the dinky magnetic tape. So I just used that on the outside.

I also have a visual little gal, so I went ahead and found clip art pictures of chores that she needed to work on. The nice thing about the vinyl holder is that I can replace these chores with others as she learns to make some of these a habit.

Her chores include:

*Put shoes away *Get dressed *Listen

*Flush toilet/wash hands *Brush Teeth

*Make bed *Say Prayers

*Pick up toys *Eat Dinner/clear plate

*Put dirty clothes in laundry *Do homework
The way I plan to do it is when she accomplishes a task/chore then she earns that scoop of ice cream. Once she earns all of the ice cream scoops, and the cone she gets to put the cherry on top, and then chooses a reward from a list we made. Some examples are: a popsicle, ride your bike for 25 minutes (that is a chore for me because it is so hot out), play on playhouse disney for 20 minutes. Really it can be anything that is fun or special to them. Just make sure they are motivated to achieve it. Another thing is that if she earns the ice cream scoop let say for flushing the toilet and washing hands, but then she forgets to flush the next time she has to give me that scoop of ice cream back.

I really hope this works and that she will enjoy making ice cream cones.

Hooray for Hot Pads!

2010-08-27T12:03:00.001-07:00

A while ago I got together with some friends and learned to can peaches. I have been wanting to learn for a few years now, but I finally made the opportunity. Since it was so much sticky work, I decided to reward myself with some hot pads.

I made my first set about a year ago, and gave them away of course. I have made several sets since then for gifts. Each time I make a set I think to my self that some new hot pads of my own would be really nice. The ones I had were nasty and stained/burned.

Finally I got down to business and made up a few sets. This time I kept one for myself. I love them and will try to keep from burning them. What I like most about these is the fact that my hands go inside of them without having a huge oven mitt on.

These are a couple sets I have made in the past. Why not have something cute to prevent burns right?

Lemonade Stand

2010-08-15T11:43:00.000-07:00

This lemonade stand was one of the projects I made over the summer. Unfortunately my daughter didn't get to put it to good use until now because I kept putting it off.

I used the left over canvas from the bean bag chair I made and then some extra scraps of pinks for some added girly fun. It turned out just as I wanted it too. The table underneath was in desperate need for a table cover anyway. Now if only I can get the motivation to do chair covers too.

Now that I am looking at these pictures I think I should have gotten a close up. My camera has actually been broken for the summer. I was planning to get a new one eventually, and in frustration of not having one I decided to pound and push my camera until it started working again. So despite the horrible pictures, I was at least able to take these.

She had a lot of fun selling lemonade and cookies. I think it is such a fun little way for kids to earn something. It was a good experience that we might try again when it is not quite as hot.

Baby Shower Gift Set

2010-07-09T14:16:00.000-07:00

Here is a great idea for a baby shower gift. I made this diaper changing set which includes a burp cloth, changing pad w/tie, and a bag to put the wipes and diapers in. My fellow etsy friend sells these on her Teacher Mom etsy shop along with some really awesome Toss n' Play balls. Head there if you would like to take a gander and possibly purchase one for an upcoming baby shower.

Don't mind the fog that is in the picture from the humidity here. This turned out really fun. The great thing about quilting is that when you grab a bunch of fabrics and put them together it doesn't matter if they go or not. Somehow they all just come together and look like they were meant to be together in the first place.

There is still a quilt pattern I want to try with all of my scraps of fabric that in no way match, but I am sure it will end up like this and look good once the pieces come together. It is like a fabric soup I suppose.

I was so excited when I found the pattern for Oopsie the Octopus that was posted two days ago from Mellie and Me. I love their patterns and went right to work as soon as I saw her pattern posted. Go check it out here if you want to give this cute little Oopsie the Octopus a try for yourself.

I didn't do the patchwork like she suggested simply because I was using scraps of fabric from the diaper changing kit. I think he turned out cute. Thanks again Mellie and Me for the great pattern/tutorial.

Bean Bag Chair

2010-06-13T19:51:00.001-07:00

I have been wanting to make one of these for a really long time. Finally I decided to go for it and make one for my daughter's birthday.

I think it turned out nice. I love the bright polka dot canvas. What I didn't like is that it took sooo much stuffing. I still need to put about 4 more bags in this thing. It is good for her though. I used the shredded foam that I bought at my local craft store vs the pellets because I wanted it to last longer and be more cushy.
I wanted to make a large one so that she could grow into it, or so that her dad could read with her on it. I used the adult size free pattern from Michael Miller's blog.

The pattern was really easy, and I only altered two parts of the pattern. I put in a 22 inch invisible zipper instead of the velcro. I also made the circle applique much larger. I took a large plate and traced it, then added an inch or so to that. I am not really sure what measurement I ended up with.

My daughter loves it and especially loves jumping on it. I sure do hope it holds out through all the rough play. At least she is really enjoying it.

Boy Gifts

2010-05-30T16:03:00.000-07:00

My nephews are getting hard to make things for. I just don't think about boy stuff I guess. Here is what I came up with for my nephew who is entering the teenage years. Hopefully he is not to cool for it all.

He likes motorbikes, so I did motorbike appliques on this towel for him. It kind of took a long time because of all the stitching detail I added. It definitely needed it though because I didn't want it to look to little boyish. Anyhow, he is worth it so hopefully he likes it.

I added clothing detail with different stitching and thread colors. I like the way it turned out.

I also made him a tie which my husband is modeling here. I also hope this fits his style, but if not no big deal. He can use it to wash his bike with or something.

I need more teenage boy ideas. Any boy ideas for that matter. I am just so use to thinking girl that I get stumped on the boys.

Fathers Day for instance is coming up. I have no idea what I could make for my husband. He will not wear a handmade tie, so I can count that out. Any ideas?

Tank Turned into a Summer Dress Tutorial

2010-05-19T13:00:00.000-07:00

Last year I bought two adult tanks on clearance at Old Navy for $2.50 each. It is made with some lightweight cotton type fabric. I am actually not sure what it is really . Anyhow, I bought it thinking I would make it into something for my daughter.

Now almost a year later I finally did it. I love how it turned out. I also decided to take on the challenge of making a tutorial out of it in hope that some of you can find a similar tank and do the same.

On to the tutorial! (Note: read all the way through before cutting and sewing).

This is the before picture. She thought it was fun just like this and I had a hard time getting it off of her. When I finally did these are the next steps I took.

First I put one of the tanks on the kid, and measured it to where I wanted it to sit and how tight around I wanted it to be. I marked them with pins. Essentially it was about 2 1/2" in on each side. It will probably be different for your child depending on their size.

Next each side of the tank, and also carefully cut off straps. You will have two pieces. The reason I cut them apart is because with the elastic back it just made it easier to get them cut right.

Make sure to pin your elastic on the back piece in place so you don't have to restring the elastic through.

Take the front piece, and fold it over right sides together and line up the edges.

Find your mark at the top from measuring the child, and cut at a diagonal. Do the same with the back piece of the tank.

Line up the sides, and pin them together. Sew sides with a 1/2 seam allowance.

Once your sides have been sewn it should look something like this.

If you have a serger you can finish it off like this. If not, then you can use a zig zag stitch to help finish it off.

Trim away any extra from the bottom.

Using the second tank top you will cut it into two parts for now. Carefully cut just under the elastic band through both front and back of tank. This will be the ruffle. Set the rest of the tank aside for the sleeves.

Now, you are going to slightly gather the piece you just cut off until it is the same size around as the bottom part of the dress piece.

After it is gathered to your liking you will pin the ruffle piece to the dress piece with right sides together. (This is where I forgot to keep taking pictures)

Finish it off with a serger or a zig zag stitch.

For the sleeves you will take the left over tank and cut the sides. Now you should have just the left over back piece. Mine had an elastic piece where I cut it away from the ruffle piece, as well as an elastic piece at the very top of the back.

Next cut this piece in half horizontally. You should have two long pieces each one having one elastic piece. If there is no elastic, measure from front to back on the child where the sleeves would go, and add 3-4 inches. Make a casing for an elastic and pull your elastic through your casing and sew it into place.

Once you have your elastic sleeves ready you will finish off the raw edges by folding and pressing a 1/4" seem and top stitching it.

Position sleeves about 3" in on each side and pin in place (the measurement or placement of the sleeves will vary depending on the child. Sew them on front and back.

Now, you should have a dress similar to the one I have made.

I apologize now for any confusion. If you have any questions feel free to ask. Next time I really need to remember all of the pictures.

Good luck repurposing.

Ruffled Linen Shorts

2010-05-11T12:18:00.001-07:00

I love this fabric. I bought a lot of it because I could not get enough of it. I decided to make these ruffled linen shorts for my daughter to wear in the heat.

They were pretty simple to make except for the linen frayed like no other. That made it more time consuming. Plus my serger will not gather fabric anymore for some reason. I need to take it in and see what is up. Gathering by hand is way more time consuming and messy in my opinion because it always frays everywhere, or the thread breaks.

Other than that they were quite simple. I will try making some more and post a tutorial or something. I also have a tutorial for a cute red dress made from repurposed tanks. I might get that posted by the end of the week. Until then, have a fabulous week and I will try my hardest to get that tutorial asap.

A Little Mother's Day

2010-05-09T18:52:00.000-07:00

I am super happy to have the mother that I do. I am lucky that my mom worked so hard to provide for my siblings and I. She has been through a lot, but in return she has truly devoted a large part of her life to raising us and giving us what we needed.

I had originally planned to get a canvas print of my daughter, but then I procrastinated and didn't give myself enough time to get it done. So I just printed out the photos for now, and made these gifts up.

I made aromatherapy neck pillows for relaxing. They were really quite easy to make. It only took about 20 minutes. Maybe I should make a tutorial or something.

I have been wanting to make some of these fabric leaves for a while now. Mother's Day was a perfect chance to try them out. They were not as easy as the pillows, but they were rewarding once finished. Now I need to make some for myself.

I learned a few tricks to save time and make them nicer than the first try. I think they turned out great and hope they go well with the decor of the wonderful mothers in my life.

I hope you all have a great Mother's Day and wish your mom's a great day too.

Diaper Bags!!

2010-05-05T17:09:00.000-07:00

I am in love with diaper bags. This diaper bag that is. Now if I just had that baby to go with it. Maybe you do?

I made a couple of these a while back for baby shower gifts, and just never got around to posting it. I want to make one for myself even though I don't tote around baby items at the moment. I just love it too much. I will probably make a few of these and stick them in my shop sometime so keep an eye out. I will keep you posted on that when I do have them ready.
This bag closes at the front like a messenger bag. It doesn't scream diapers, milk, wipes, etc. It just looks like a cute bag.
There are so many pockets. The pockets pictured above are on the inside of the bag. Other pockets include: one on each side with velcro closure, double pocket on the front, and a large zip pocket on the back.
It takes about a full day to get one of these finished. Subtract all of the distractions and it is still a good 5-6 hours. Although labor intensive this is still high on my list of favorites.

Beach Towel for the Slightly Goth Chic

2010-05-02T21:19:00.000-07:00

I have so many things to blog about. Unfortunately they have all been pushed aside since I am good at procrastinating.

Anyhow, I wanted to post pictures of this awesome towel I finished about a month ago for my niece. The lighting was not the best, and I think Black is hard to photograph with a cheap camera.

I love the way it turned out. Before making this towel I asked my niece who just turned 17 what she is into or would like that is handmade. I was afraid she might think something handmade was silly.

She wanted something a little edgy and slightly goth. So I took her favorite colors purple, black, lime green, and mixed them up.

I used this Amy Butler's Nigella Quilt free pattern download and shrunk it to fit my small block. You can find it here along with several other awesome free patterns. The letters were a pain, however, they were worth it because I love love love them.

Anyhow, I think she liked it a lot. Even if she didn't, I know I did.

I will be adding several other finished projects to the blog later this week.

Dresses are Here

2010-04-05T17:43:00.000-07:00

Here they are!!

It has been a crazy, and very busy 3 weeks getting these made. It was hard to decide which ones to make in which sizes. Here are some draft pictures of the dresses. Near the bottom are a couple hair barrettes, the rest are not pictured.

Listed with the picture is the size the dress is. The pictures start with the largest size and go to the smallest size.

5T/6T

5T/6T *

3T/4T *

2T/3T

2T *

2T * (Linen Fabric)

2T/3T

12 months

12 Months *

Unfortunately making the shoes was a headache. Getting the sizing right is hard, but not impossible. I only made a small supply of shoes. If you are interested in the shoes, I can make them for you when I get back at the end of April. I will need to draw your child's foot and send it, or take measurements. The four shoes in the picture are available, and fit a small baby. They are around a size 1 or 2.

****The dresses marked with * mean that I have more of that fabric if you want it in a different size. **** However, I am leaving tomorrow morning and will not be able to make it until I get back.

Also I have pictured here some of the hair clips that I have to go with the dresses. I will also try and have some extra if you just want to purchase hair clips.

If you are interested in getting one of these dresses or sets and do not live in Idaho or Houston, please email me and I can set up an order for you when I get back.

I hope you all like them as much as I do. My daughter was wishing they were all for her. I think I might make one of the tie dresses into a shirt for her.

Peace out, and we will speak again in two weeks.

Farm Animal Easter Eggs

2010-03-31T14:40:00.000-07:00

This year we wanted to do something a little different for dying Easter eggs. Thanks to Martha we got several ideas to choose from. I am going to have to try some out each year because there were so many fun ideas.

We love our little farm animals. We used hard boiled eggs instead of the eggs with the yolk blown out, so they were a little heavy. Since they were so heavy the legs didn't really hold them up, but I still like them.

Since these ones up above are real hard boiled eggs and will go bad we wanted to make som plastic ones too. This way we can keep them for next year too, or give some away with candy in them.

Summer loved making them, and showed her girly drawing skills by adding eyelashes, smiles, and wings.

I ran out of modge podge and had to hot glue everything, so it was not as kid friendly and took more time with me gluing everything. I recommend using modge podge if you try these yourself.

Baby/Toddler Packages

2010-03-11T08:25:00.000-08:00

Tie Top Dress

Peasant Dress

Good news for all of you who live near Rigby, ID. I will be coming into town for two weeks from April 7-21st. I look forward to seeing many of you there.

I will be putting together several baby and toddler packages similar to the ones pictured. They will be available for purchase for $40 if anyone is interested. If you want a particular size or color scheme you can email me and let me know and I will try to accommodate.

Since I don't have yards and yards of wonderful designer fabrics right at my fingertips I will probably only be offering one package in each fabric. So first come first serve. As I finish up the packages I will try and post pictures of them so you can get a better idea of what ones you like. These make great baby shower gifts, or great for your own baby.

Here is what each package will include for $40:

Baby Package: 1 dress, 1 diaper cover, 1 head band, and 1 pair of matching shoes.

Toddler Package: 1 dress, 1 diaper cover, and 2 sets of barrettes/bows to match.

I will also be selling the shoes alone for $20.

If you want toddler shoes I can make them with rubber soles, however, keep in mind they probably won't want to go running on rocks.

My daughter will be getting a pair this week, so I will let you know how they are for the more active older kids.

Any of you who do not live in Idaho and want one of these sets, you can make a custom order through my etsy shop by sending me a convo. You can also click on the email link and shoot me an email. Just make sure to write baby package in the subject line otherwise I might think it is junk mail.

I look forward to this project because they are really fun to make.

Beatles Givaway

2010-03-07T18:04:00.000-08:00

I am doing this for you Lyn. I hope I win. You should all enter too. And while you are at it check out her etsy shop. I love the designs I have in my kitchen courtesy of Janey Mac.

Here is the giveaway post.

The Juliet Top (Finally)!

2010-02-02T11:45:00.000-08:00

I saw this pattern for the Juliet top by Pink Fig. I finally bought it, but unfortunately it has been sitting in my closet for some time waiting for me to make something with it.

Then I was shopping at Hobby Lobby and can you believe I found these super cute fabrics there? I absolutely love them, and kind of want to make everything with them. Anyhow, I bought the fabric and then it sat again for another 2-3 weeks.

Freezing outside, and not too camera happy.

Much more happy once we went inside the garage.

FINALLY I decided it was time to focus, and make this shirt. It did not take longs since the instructions were very easy to follow. The only problem is my cheapy sewing machine doesn't do automatic buttonholes. Do you know how hard it is to get buttonholes even when not using an automatic button stitch. Well it is hard for me anyway.

Lucky for my several friends have nice sewing machines and I was FINALLY able to truly finish this shirt. I think it turned out pretty cute, and I still love the fabrics. Maybe I should make some kitchen towels with the same fabric. We well see. I still need to get my hands on some Nicey Jane by Heather Bailey, Woodland Delight by Paula Prass, and Meadowsweet by Sandi Henderson.

So, I am glad to finally have that project finished and to now have time to make more purses for the shop.

Beach Towel Gift Idea

2010-01-28T11:53:00.000-08:00

Recently I have started making my nieces and nephews a beach towel for their birthday. It is such a great gift because they are easy to customize for a boy or a girl. Plus they should never get it mixed up with someone else's since it has their name right on it.

As far as I know my those who have received one so far have loved them. I like to put a name on it and add a little patchwork for fun. The other reason I think it is a great gift is because it can be used all year long. Even if you live in cold iceberg weather your kids still need to shower. These towels are very affordable and easy to make.

Family Photo Shoot

2009-12-08T17:52:00.000-08:00

The last couple months have been really crazy for me. I have been sewing non-stop, and blogging very little. It seems like I get halfway through a project, and think of 8 more awesome things to make. I think I just need to learn to relax a bit.

However, in the midst of all my crafting I finally made something for me. I spent several hours on making clothing for my daughter and I for our family photo shoot. My poor husband only got a scarf, it was all I could muster up for him.

Our great friend took several pictures in downtown Houston for us. We were going for a more urban fun feel, and I think she did great. Getting pictures taken is always hard for me because I am either too hard on myself, or I love way too many of them and can't decide. That was the case here, I am including several of my favorites because I just couldn't pick one to feature here on my blog. I need to learn how to make a collage or something.

This jacket has to be my favorite of all the items I sewed . It was not too hard, and turned out super cute. I think I will be making one in several colors because they are just so fun. Maybe I will put one up for a giveaway sometime. Definitely not until the new year. I need some relaxing vacation time.

Also I would like to come up with a tutorial of some sort, so if you have any suggestions I am open to your comments.

Well, I hope all of you enjoy your Christmas holiday. It is always so fun this time of year. I love creating traditions, and just enjoying the spirit of Christmas.

Have a safe and happy holiday.

Flower Brooch giveaway WINNER!!

2009-12-02T13:32:00.001-08:00

Congrats to the Dalton Family who was #8.

I don't have your email or your blog, so you will have to email me by clicking the email button, or facebook me your info. Just let me know which one you would like.

Thanks to all who entered. Don't feel bad if you didn't win. I have never won a giveaway myself. However, I love doing the giving so, keep posted as I have some really cute children barrettes/bows to give away. I just have to take pictures first.

November Giveaway!!

2009-11-22T12:48:00.000-08:00

Hey All! In my last post I promised a giveaway this month. Well, although we are nearing the end of the month, I do still have a giveaway to do. The winner of this giveaway will receive one flower broach/pins as seen on the purses in my previous post here. Read on for giveaway details below.

A week or two ago the UPS man delivered a wonderful treasure to my doorstep. It was a package containing all of these sweet fabrics you see above. If you don't know, these are all Amy Butler and Joel Dewberry home decor weight fabrics.

It seems that the many people really liked the purses I donated in the auction, so I have decided to start making them and adding them to my etsy shop. I don't know how long or how many I will be making. There may be a short and limited supply. I plan to get them done asap, however, with Christmas sewing projects I can't give and exact time. If you want a custom purse order before Christmas you can send me and email or a convo through my Etsy shop.

Since I plan to make some sort of removable flower, embellishment, or something fun to to these purses I thought that a flower pin give away would be perfect.

So, to enter this giveaway simply leave a comment and random.org will provide a winner. The giveaway will end on December 1st at midnight, and the winner will be announced on December 2nd.

Good luck to all you fantastic readers.

Purses, Kitchen Towels, and an Auction

2009-11-01T14:19:00.000-08:00

This is what I have been up to in October.

OK, I know I should not be like this with my own work, but I simply can't help it. I absolutely adore these purses, and I think they turned out so fun and cute. I need to make one for myself now. I do need an upgrade from the one I am currently using.

So you may ask why I made them if I am not even planning on keeping one. Well, I have been making them as a donation to some dear friends of mine who are doing an online auction to raise funds for their two sweethearts who both need transplants.

I made the purses and the towel sets. I have also included just a few of my favorites from what is being offered to bid on for the auction. Check them out below, and then head here to see all the other awesome items up for bid.

The auction starts tomorrow November 2ND at 8:00 am and will end November 16Th at midnight.

So if you want one of these adorable purses, or any of my towels, simply check out the auction where they will be up for bid.

Pussy Willow Kitchen Towel Set

Tootie Frootie in Citrus

Cattails Kitchen Towels

Resting Bird Kitchen Towels

Standing Fern Kitchen Towels

Retro Meets Mod Kitchen Towels

www.housetohomeframes.blogspot.com

www.modestmaven.etsy.com

I am not sure who donated this, but I think it is very cute. How fun to have a spiced up wipes container.

http://www.cranberriesandcapers.etsy.com/

http://www.haveaballbaby.com/

Please check out all the items up for bid. They will make great Christmas and birthday gifts and will also be helping out a family in need.

A Happy Halloween Costume

2009-11-01T14:06:00.000-08:00

This is the one and only Halloween costume I made this year. I had plans to make one for myself and my husband, however, I have been very busy sewing other projects this month, and I just didn't have time to get them sewn.

I do love the results of this funky, slightly spooky, and fun witch costume. My daughter specifically said she didn't want to be a mean witch, so I added a little pink, purple, and green to make it less "mean". She loves it and will now have another dress up to play with.

The top is made from a repurposed velvet floral dress, and the rest was just kind of added on. I wanted to make ruffles on the top, and it worked great. She was happy and that is all I needed.

Now, next year I will start in August. That way I might get more costumes made.

It was a great night of Trunk or Treating and we have more candy than is needed. I hope yours was fun and worth it too.

WINNER of the Pumpkin Giveaway!!

2009-10-24T22:18:00.000-07:00

Ok, it was super fun to read about all your Halloween costumes. It is actually very entertaining to read comments that are left for me to read. So thank you for all your comments.

So, the lucky winner straight from random.org is #30. This is the comment that was left.

The Lawlor's said...

I have a cute story from just the other day.

My husband said to me "do you know where and when I go that gray and red striped sweater in our closet?"

I said "yes, I bought it for you at Old Navy along with your other ones"

He didn't remember that but is very excited to use it for his 'Where's Waldo" costume this year!

Congrats to The Lawlor's and thanks for the comment. Good luck with the Where's Waldo costume. You just need to email me your address so I can ship this to you. Just click on the email button for my email address.

To all you other awesome friends, I will have another giveaway in November I hope. I just need to think of something to make.

If you didn't win and would still like a pumpkin you can request a custom order in my etsy shop.

Pumpkin Giveaway!!

2009-10-14T15:25:00.001-07:00

PUMPKIN GIVEAWAY

I absolutely love Halloween. I just love dressing up, and having fun. There are so many fun ideas out there. This year I have added an awesome witch, these pumpkins, a wreath, and some other little handmade goods to my decor. I will post a picture of my witch soon, because it did turn out pretty awesome.

My memories of Halloween as a child are very different than things are for kids now. At least in big cities. When I was little we went door to door with a pillow case to fill up with tons of goodies. No trunk or treating existed then. It snowed quite often on Halloween, or at least it was usually freezing.

Now, I live in a place that is hot and humid most nights. I still wonder why they sell those heavy fuzzy costumes in a place like this. The poor kid would roast to death. Oh, and carved pumpkins don't do well here either. They go moldy the next day. I think when I was little they just froze solid, so they were good until February. Please don't keep your decorations out past Halloween! It is still fun, and I still look forward to the spooky events that come with Halloween.

Keep scrolling for the giveaway.

Here it is, my first giveaway. I actually entered another giveaway for a cute little pumpkin, and I didn't win. So, I made my own and an extra one to give away. The giveaway will end on Saturday October 24th at 8:00 p.m. I will use random.org to find the winner. The winner will be announced on October 24th p.m..

Here's how you enter:

1) Leave a comment telling me your favorite costume as a child, or a halloween memory. Or you can just make any fun comment you wish.

2) For another Entry become a follower of this blog and leave a separate comment.

3)Check out this Benson and Claire's blog or their auction blog. Leave a separate comment about the auction.

4) Make a post about this giveaway on your blog and leave a comment with your name and if possible your blog link.

NOTE: You can enter the giveaway even if you don't have a blog. Simply leave a comment with your name and email address.

Awesome Giveaway!!

2009-10-09T19:36:00.000-07:00

OK, so I still have yet to do a giveaway on my blog. However, you can go to Janey Mac Press and enter the giveaway on her blog. You could win this:Get on over there and enter for your own chance to win this awesome faux headboard.

Gymnastic Leotard

2009-10-01T14:52:00.000-07:00

What do you do when you need a leotard and all the ones at the gymnastic stores are super expensive.

Well, you make your own of course.

I could have done this a lot cheaper than I actually ended up spending. I had to do it twice because the first time I did not get the right fabric, and it would not stretch enough to go on. Then I went to High Fashion Fabrics and it made all the difference getting a 4 way stretch fabric. This one here if made right the first time ended up costing me only $15. The cheapest one I found at the store was $37 and went all the way up to $90. I like the cheaper version.

I think it turned out really cute, and now that I know exactly what fabric to use it will be much better for the next one. I love the look of the flower, however, it might be better to use a more flat one like an appliqued poppy or something instead. I think this would get in the way when on the bars if she were a little older.

Now, if I ever make another one, I will try and take pictures to make a tutorial. However, I don't know when and if it will happen, but just in case I do I will add a tutorial for it on this blog.

Scrapbox Giveaway!!

2009-09-28T15:28:00.000-07:00

Here is and awesome contest that you all must enter. What fabulous things I could do with this. Juas head here for the entry.

Bright, Bold, and Beautiful

2009-09-22T12:39:00.000-07:00

So, Laura over at Bright, Bold, and Beautiful has featured me on her blog. I am so excited. A great blog worth looking at! You can view my feature on her blog by clicking here.

Enjoy.

Funky Flower Shelf

2009-09-17T20:37:00.000-07:00

Here she is, my first tutorial. I just have to warn you that I was making this at night, so the pictures are dark, and somewhat blurry. I hope to get better ones for my next tutorial.

I have been wanting a cute shelf for my daughter's room for over a year now. When I was at Michael's one day I found this unfinished wood shelf in the clearance section for $3.00. It was missing the glass and backing to the picture frame cut outs. It has been sitting in my closet waiting for some inspiration.

Well, now I finally have it finished, and I love the way it turned out. It was her idea to paint it Fuchsia, and it was a mighty good decision for our white walls. It matches the quilt I made her which I will try and get a picture of some other time.

So, here it goes:

1) I didn't think of doing a tutorial until after I had mine painted, but you will first want to cut a piece of cardboard, chipboard, or poster board that will fit inside the back of the openings. If yours comes with a backing you can just use that instead of cutting your own.

2) Sand and paint your wood in the main color you want it to be i.e. fuchsia. I don't really sand mine before painting because I like the rough look. If you don't just sand the surfaces until they are smooth.

You will probably have to do at least two coats of paint.

Now, While your paint dries move on to the next few steps involving fabric.

3)Cut a piece of fabric to cover both sides of your backing. If you don't mind a messy backing on your shelf, you can save on fabric and use only enough to cover the front and the edges.

Cover your cut out backing with your favorite fabric. Just wrap it like a present, but use hot glue or mod podge instead of tape.

Below is a picture of what mine look like on the back. Mine are not perfect because I assume my shelf backing will be against the wall.

4) You need to make 1 for each opening. Mine needed three. I used a different fabric for each one, but you can do all three the same fabric, or the two ends the same with a different one in the middle. Whatever you like.

5) These flowers are super cute and even better is they are super easy. I followed the tutorial on Heather Bailey's blog. You can find it here to follow it and make your own. They really take about 5 minutes to make.

6) Once your paint is dry you will rough up the edges a bit. You can do as little or as much sanding as you want. I just did a little here and there where I thought it would look good.

7) This next step is how you get the two color effect. First dip your sponge brush in a little paint. You do not need a lot.

Now, CAREFULLY dab paint onto the parts that are sanded. It is OK to get it on the pink too. Just don't go painting the whole shelf the second color unless you want it to stay that way.

note: it is best to do one strip of sanded edge at a time so the paint doesn't dry. You can try it on the back of the shelf for practice. That is what I did.

Here is a picture of the first painted section.

8) Using a damp cloth CAREFULLY wipe the paint back off. Pay special attention to get it off the unsanded parts. I had to rub a bit on some of the pink to get the blue back off. When I say carefully wipe the paint off, I am referring to the sanded part. You want to be careful not to wipe too hard, or it will take the dye out of the wood, and it will just look like unfinished wood. You want to wipe enough of the paint off to make it look like the woods original color is blue or whatever color you are using.

Make sure to finish off all the sanded edges so they match.

9)Put your fabric covered backings into the openings, and secure with the metal tabs that are already provided on most frames. My shelf already had them in there.

Once those are secure, simply attach the fabric flower to the center of each opening front with hot glue.

10) Congrats, you made it through my first tutorial. You should now have a fun and spunky flower shelf. Keep in mind that this can be done with warmer colors and fabrics to match your other home decor.

If you have any questions about this tutorial or anything else, feel free to make a comment, email me, or visit my etsy shop.

What You Can Do With a Serger

2009-09-03T13:42:00.000-07:00

Yes, Yes what you see above is my very own serger. I finally treated myself to this wonderful machine. I have really only used it 2 1/2 times so far, but I am already in love with it. It just makes sewing so much easier and nicer looking.

Below is a picture of the first project I made with the serger. This was used as a practice piece for a shirt I am now making and will post pictures of later. It turned out cute for the most part. I am glad I practiced on this one first because there were a few things I did wrong, but they aren't too noticeable.
This 3rd picture is a little outfit I made for my daughters school attire. I used a pattern that my friend lent me for the pinafore top. I made up some simple shorts with ruffle bottoms to match the top. I did not use my serger for the top, just my sewing machine.

However, One Super awesome feature of this serger is that it gathers fabric. In fact once I get a steady hand on it I can actually gather something while serging it to another piece of fabric. That is what I did for these shorts I gathered the pink fabric at the same time it was being serged to the brown/pink fabric.
I love things with ruffles and gathers, but it is such a pain on my machine to baste and pull in order to gather. Now I will be making gathers all the time.

These shorts were so simple with or without a serger, that I am going to make a tutorial and post it. Keep an eye out, and maybe in the next few weeks I will have it ready.

Christmas Already!!

2009-08-25T12:06:00.000-07:00

I know, it is not nearly Christmas time yet. However, this idea came to mind a while ago for a wedding gift, and I just could not resist putting it up for grabs in my shop now. It would have seemed like a long time to wait to put them up in November.

So, inspiration was drawn from the super duper cute fabrics by Anna Maria Horner's Chocolate Lollipop collection which I had pictured below in my last post. I love them and I think they turned out fun and cute.

Now if I could just figure out the camera, they would pop even more with color.

It is not too early to get your hands on these as they would make great gifts, and they will warm up your kitchen for the holidays which are just around the corner.

I might have to get some Halloween ones made up soon. Hope you enjoy.

Yummy Fabric!

2009-08-12T11:33:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I got this stack of fabric in the mail the other day. What can be better than getting a package in the mail? I knew it was coming of course, and expecting the arrival. Here it is waiting to be used. I look forward to making some new kitchen towels.

Of course some of the fabulous fabrics I already use, and simply needed to restock my supply. However, I did get mostly new fabrics from Anna Maria Horner. I love bright fabrics. Now if I could just at these bright pieces to my own home decor somehow.

Oh, and stay tuned to this blog as I will be doing a giveaway soon.

Fanny Packs are Back! Or Are They?

2009-08-06T15:10:00.000-07:00

Ok, so we are going to Disney World in September, and I was thinking that I might need something that is hands free to put all my junk in. Fanny packs came to mind, but the scary ones from my childhood in the 80's. Mine was florescent pink and neon green, and it was the bulgy scary looking type.

I decided to try a more modern version of the fanny pack. This is what I came up with. What do you think? My husband says it is still cheesy, so I need some honest opinions here.

I am not planning to wear a fanny pack for the rest of my life, so that is why I made it work three different ways. 1) With a long strap tied to each side made for across the shoulder. 2) Attatch a smaller tie and it becomes a wristlet. 3) Use the buckles sewn on the back or the ones on the side for a belt like fanny pack.

The inside is complete with a pocket for my cell phone, chap-stick, and a key ring.

I also made a matching slim wallet for my cards, a pen, and receipts. I really love this one! Oh, and I must not forget to mention that this fabric was thought up by my good friend Jodi. I was planning to make a skirt with the fabric, until I got it in the mail and I realized I ordered canvas instead of regular quilting fabric. Oh Well.

Anyhow, the fanny pack may not be back yet, but I think it was a good effort, and a great creation nevertheless. If you are lucky someday I will figure out how to make a pattern or tutorial to post on this blog and then you can make your own fanny pack.

Unexpected Doll Dress

2009-07-25T18:51:00.000-07:00

So today my daughter and I decided to make some clothes for her dolls. She pushed the reverse button on my sewing machine, and put the pins back in the cushion to help.

We were trying to make a skirt, when I must have measured a little wrong in the length. So we decided to attach some ribbon straps and make it into a dress. We also sewed some velcro on the ribbon for easy closure. It was a fast sewing job and not the prettiest, but for a doll dress I am not too worried. I thought it was worthy of a post.

Summer enjoys it and now has clothes for her babies that were once naked.

p.s. I have a bad camera and live in a cave with little light. Any tips on photo taking?

2009-07-21T17:28:00.000-07:00

What a fun beach towel this was to make. I have been eyeing these woody vehicles for some time now, and finally I found something to put one on. This was specially made for my nephew for their trip to Lake Powell. It was a bunch of tiny pieces to cut and sew, but I think it turned out cute.

The only downside to this project was that I sewed through my finger with the sewing machine, and broke my needle. It was painful, but I survived, and luckily so did the towel.

For your custom towel, please visit my Etsy shop.

Princess Dress Up

2009-07-15T23:22:00.000-07:00

This is a dress up dress I made for one of Summer's girly friends. It was fun, but took a while since I did not have a surger.

The dress is made with a satin fabric, shimmery organza, and some ribbon trim. For the back closer I have sewn in some velcro to make it easier for the little ones to get themselves in and out of the dress.

It was fun, and maybe I will try it out once again in the future.

Welcome to My New Craft Blog

2009-07-08T13:09:00.000-07:00

Hey all, welcome to my new craft blog where I plan to post all about my random projects. I love to sew, paint (wood that is), scrapbook, sew, and anything new that seems interesting.

This blog is currently under some construction as I have no links, or fun gadgets in my sidebars. I will get these up soon, but for now, ignore that, and enjoy the posts.

Boys Can Dress Up!

2009-07-08T12:14:00.000-07:00

My nephew had a birthday recently, and I knew exactly what I wanted to make him. He likes to dress up as a cowboy, and superheroes. There are not a lot of dress ups for boys in the store, so I came up with my own.

First is Kiowa the Karate Kid:
The outfit seemed rather simple at the time, but as I got into it I decided to finish off the seems with all the stitched hems. It was not hard, just time consuming. It did turn out rather nice I think. It is complete with pants, a top, a black belt, and of course the karate kid head band with his name appliqued and sewn on.I was worried they would not fit as I did not have him here to try it on, but I think it looks great on him.

Second is the Pirate Costume:
Here I have made a reversible cape with skull and crossbones on both sides one in an applique, and the other in white stitching. To complete the pirate look I put together some long/wide shorts, a bandana, and of course and eye patch.

This is actually really awesome, and I am trying to convince my daughter to go pirate in pink for Halloween.

It is so fun to make up these costumes. Especially for boys since they are more rare to find. Boys like dressing up too. Now they don't have wear sister's beads, and things. They can be a very manly pirate.

Baby Shower Gifts

2009-07-07T19:35:00.000-07:00

Ok, so there are just so many pregnant mama's around. So, here is a baby shower gift I made for one of my friends.

First are Fuzzy Flops for baby size 3-6 months:
As I was getting ready for bed the other night this idea popped into my head and I had to try it out. I did not have a baby foot to try it on, so I did an educated guess on the sizing. I hope they fit. This was a rough draft, and I am sure the second pair will have a few minor changes. Fun and fuzzy I must admit.

Second is a set of Fun Onsies:
These are super fun and easy to make. I thought a giraffe and octopus would be cute on a baby. I love these because they are unique, and not something you would easily find in a store.

So lets hear it for all the babies that have given me much inspiration for many of my crafts and sewing projects.